Choosing the right cane requires a little more planning than most people can imagine. Before investing in a cane or walker, seniors should first identify the reason they need walking support, if they need it to support their full weight and the appropriate type, size, and fit of the device. Canes and walkers provide different levels of support for the person using them. They can be beneficial to seniors with pain, weakness and problems balancing on their own. They’re also helpful in avoiding falls and providing extra support when needed. And according to Lori Ramage, physical therapist and the Joint Club
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Archives for senior independence
Smart Phones Designed to Make Life Simpler for Seniors
One of the unfortunate things about getting older is that hearing, eyesight and mobility slowly begin to wane. This can make it more difficult for many seniors receiving arthritis care or post surgery home care to utilize some of the most common everyday devices, such a cell phone. As technology evolves, smart phones, pcs and tablets are quickly becoming the way we stay in touch and communicate. These advances make it easier for the majority of people to use tech devices, but that’s not always the case. Many companies are beginning to realize that the average “smart” phone lacks the
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Summer Activities for Seniors
There are tons of ways to stay active and keep fit this summer. And just as every senior has a different personality, their hobbies and interests vary, as well. Summer is the perfect time to indulge in some of the things your loved one likes to do. So Freedom Home Care wanted to come up with a list of fun, safe activities you and your loved can actually enjoy doing together. Go Fishing It’s always beautiful out this time of year. It’s even better if you live near a river, lake or some place else that allows you to
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Questions to Ask Before Hiring a Home Care Agency
Enlisting the help of others to help care for your senior can be a daunting process. And if you opt for more personalized care that meets your loved one’s daily needs, helps them retain a sense of independence, and allows them to remain in a familiar environment, in-home care may be the choice for you. There a number of things to consider when searching for a home health care provider – like if the agency is licensed and reputable, if the caregivers are trained and qualified, and what has their track record for care been in the past. After
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Tips To Prevent Identity Theft for Seniors
Identity theft. It’s something most people think could never happen to them. Until it actually happens. According to nationwide surveys we’ve come across at Freedom Home Care nationwide, 26 percent of Americans have been the victim of telemarketing schemes in their lifetime. Nearly 57 percent of people over 50 years of age lose $40 billion to telemarketing fraud each year, and baby boomers are the main target for criminals who commit investment fraud. Experian Credit Bureau says reports of identity theft involving tax returns and medical care are the fastest growing cases in America. Unfortunately, individuals who defraud unsuspecting seniors
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Spring Cleaning Tips for You and Your Senior
With spring comes budding trees and plants, blooming flowers and changing temperatures. It’s also a time when people begin to organize and de-clutter clutter the space around them. What you may not consider is how much caring for your senior involves a routine spring cleaning of their apartments or home in order to help them stay organized, as well. Oftentimes old photographs, papers and mementos have a habit of accumulating and collecting dust in the basement or attic. But before you begin the process of straightening and systematizing the memories of your loved one, it might be good to sit
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How to be Prepared for in Home Emergencies
When loved ones begin to age, the risks for in-home injuries begin to rise. However, preparing for the unexpected before it actually happens may help decrease that number and save the day. Home fall related injuries are at an all-time high, affecting about 2.5 million older folks per year. About 1 in every 3 people aged 65 and older will fall, and only about half of those individuals will actually tell a doctor about it. Here are a few tips to help you prepare for a health related emergency, as well as ways to make your home as safe as
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Asking the right questions regarding in-home care
Communication is truly the key to a successful in-home-care environment. As we mentioned in yesterday’s post, developing a plan before the need arises can ease the stress involved with transitioning into one’s twilight years. Therefore, creating an open forum for discussion within the family is essential when it comes to the specifics of everyday care. According to the Family Caregiver Alliance, the first step in exploring care options is identifying what is most important to your aging loved one. “Projecting into the future is difficult, but it is important to educate yourself about choices and communicate how you feel about
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Tips for long-distance Alzheimer's caregiving
For many adult children whose aging parents are not living in the same city or even in the same state, the well being of their loved one can be a stressful topic. And this is especially true when a parent has been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. Knowing that a parent is so far away but not knowing about their current condition – mental or physical – can be more than troubling. In the Chicagoland area, however, there are multiple Freedom Home Care facilities with caregivers at quick disposal to a patient. With locations in Hinsdale, Highland Park, Buffalo Grove, Oak Brook
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Establishing a prescription drug main brain
In the following video, two doctors, Dr. Andrew Duxbury, professor of clinical geriatrics at the University of Alabama, as well as Dr. Barbara Paris of New York, who specializes in internal medicine and geriatric medicine, discuss the importance of monitoring prescription medication. “One of the concepts that I use with older adults in terms of medication is the one that I call the Main Brain,” Dr. Duxbury explains. “And that is that they have one physician, nurse practitioner or health care provider whom they trust who becomes the keeper of their medication list so that no matter where the buy
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